Living in Hawaiʻi for more than 20 years, Karen has fallen in love with the beauty of these tropical islands. Her work portrays this love through the soft turn of a leaf, the delicate call of an orchidʻs throat, the smile of a turtle, the splash of a whale or the falling light on a mountain vista. Born and educated in the state of Michigan, Karen attended Michigan State University and graduated with honors from the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. Karen is well versed in many mediums. Vibrant color and flowing lines characterize these art works. Her images are simple and yet bold. The intense beauty is both captivating and haunting. She hopes to create a sense of "joie de vivre" through her images. Ceramics and glass are also among her favorite mediums. She loves the immediacy, surprise and mystery of Raku as well as the infinite possibilities for expression through sculptural Low-Fire ceramics. Glass has always held a special place in Karen's heart. She creates large panels of leaded, fused and etched glass. Two of these panels may be publicly viewed at the Waimea Center on the Big Island. Most recently, she has been learning the art of glass blowing.